O's avoid arbitration with Machado, 4 others

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles avoided arbitration with several high-profile players on Friday, including All-Star infielder Manny Machado.
Machado agreed to a one-year, $16 million contract for next season -- his final before hitting free agency -- a source told MLB.com. The club also avoided arbitration with relievers Zach Britton and Brad Brach, infielder Tim Beckham and catcher Caleb Joseph. 
Machado and the O's were initially expected to be unable to agree to terms, but the two sides exchanged numbers after the 1 p.m. ET deadline and were able to get a deal done, sources told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
Machado was one of the highest-profile arbitration-eligible players this offseason and his name has been swirling in trade rumors all winter. He is expected to command a record-breaking contract when he reaches free agency and gets a nice raise from the $11.5 million he earned last season.
Britton, who was once thought to be potentially released due to an Achilles injury, settled for $12 million in his final year before free agency. Brach, who is also in his final year of arbitration, settled for $5.165 million.
Britton, who is recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles, still gets a slight raise from the $11.4 million he earned in 2017. Last season, the lefty was limited to 37 1/3 frames due to injury and is expected to miss most of the first half of the 2018 season. Brach earned $3.05 million last year.
Just Kevin Gausman and Jonathan Schoop remain unsigned. Traditionally if the Orioles can't reach an agreement by the deadline, they end up going to a hearing with the player. If they cannot settle, they will go to a hearing, in which a panel of arbitrators decides between the player and team's competing salary figures.